Learn in a flexible online format
You can complete this certificate on a part-time basis over a one-year period, and it's available entirely online.This online program is designed for public health graduate students and current working professionals who are seeking career advancement. In this program, you'll learn how to develop and manage Total Worker Health (TWH) initiatives—workplace safety, wellness, and health promotion programs. You'll learn how to assess organizational culture, plan and evaluate health and safety programs, and become a better leader. In addition, you'll take classes taught by expert faculty from the Center for Health, Work &
Environment—one of 10 Centers of Excellence for TWH. With this certificate, you'll become part of a community of business
leaders and academics committed to workplace health and safety.
Learn in a flexible online format
You can complete this certificate on a part-time basis over a one-year period, and it's available entirely online.Advance your career
Gain practical knowledge about how to improve workplace health, safety, well-being, and productivity through a TWH approach.Prepare for the future
TWH is a new, integrated approach to workplace health and safety that's being adopted by more employers around the world.According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), TWH includes policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with the promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
Course requirement* | Course ID | Credits |
Health Promotion & Health Protection in the Workplace | EHOH 6628 | 3 |
Spectrums of Professions Protection & Promoting Worker Health | EHOH 6634 | 1 |
Occupational Health Psychology: Improving Health & Well-Being at Work | EHOH 6639 | 3 |
Intro to Environmental & Occupational Health | EHOH 6614 | 3 |
Intro to Occupational Safety & Ergonomics (Intro to Workplace Health Protection) | EHOH 6629 | 2 |
Communication Skills for Public Health Impact | EHOH 6638 | 3 |
15 |
Upon successful completion of the Certificate in Total Worker Health (TWH), students will be able to:
Existing ColoradoSPH students should apply to the program via the ColoradoSPH certificate declaration form by the application deadline—March 1 (summer start) or November 1 (spring start). New ColoradoSPH students should apply to the program via the SOPHAS Express Application by the application deadline—March 1 (summer start) or November 1 (spring start).
*Note: Additionally, all recipients need to be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted as permanent residents. Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying possessions of the United States (for example, American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
Step 1: Existing ColoradoSPH students should apply to the program via the ColoradoSPH certificate declaration form by the application deadline—March 1 (summer start) or November 1 (spring start). New ColoradoSPH students should apply to the program via the SOPHAS Express Application by the application deadline—March 1 (summer start) or November 1 (spring start).
Step 2: Apply for the scholarship by the application deadline—March 1 (summer start) or November 1 (spring start). Applicants must submit the application form and all materials as one PDF file to Natalie Schwatka at Natalie.Schwatka@cuanschutz.edu.*
Step 3: Students will be reviewed by the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC) Certificate in TWH core faculty. Students may be contacted to complete a 30-minute virtual interview.
Step 4: Official notifications will be made within weeks via email.
*Note: Students can submit their scholarship application at the same time as they apply to the program, but to be eligible to receive the scholarship, they must be accepted into the program. Students may be awarded up to $10,000 per scholarship.
Students must 1) receive a passing grade (at least a B-) in all coursework, 2) represent themselves as professionals and candidates in the Certificate in TWH (e.g., include in their email signature), and 3) complete the program in accordance with ColoradoSPH and MAP ERC requirements. Failure to meet these expectations will result in a discontinuation of scholarship.
Students must complete the curriculum within two years and enroll in at least one of the required courses the first semester they are enrolled in the program.
I always knew that I wanted to do something related to health. While I was in high school, I had the opportunity to join a pathways program called CUPS that allowed first generation students to explore the different careers in health and STEM. One summer during our program, I had an introductory public health class that was taught by Dr. Virginia Visconti. Her class gave me the ability to put my experience into words and empowered me to bring justice to my community. After that, I went to CU Denver for my undergraduate in Public Health and then I joined the 4+1 program to do my MPH.
A lot of my interests revolve around bringing justice to my Latinx community and my family. Many of my family members and friends have experienced injustices and inequities because the system does not value them. I have seen family members and friends who have not qualified for workers compensation or have been injured because the instructions or resources were not in a language that they could understand.
The workplace safety and wellness aspect of the certificate attracted me to the program. I realized that in order to have an impact on workers, I needed to learn more about the frameworks and theories behind Total Worker Health. I recognized the gaps in Latinx workers’ health – this certificate will allow me to bridge my knowledge and the existing solutions to evolve and adapt them in the future.
This Spring 2022, I had the opportunity to go to Guatemala to assist in a research study about chronic kidney disease in sugarcane workers. Here I learned the importance of communication and cultural competency. Communication is everything especially when you do a study with non-English speakers.
Being able to communicate with research participants in their language not only gives you rapport but it allows for research participants to express their wants and needs. Sometimes when we do research, we often forget that it has to be mutually beneficial. So, giving workers a platform to express their needs without fear of being reprimanded can lead to better worker health and outcomes.
I hope that with my training, I can bridge my new knowledge with my previous experiences. I want to use my native language to bridge communication and cultural competency gaps that exist in the workplace. I want to create equitable workplaces where non-English speaking workers have the knowledge and resources to live and work without fear.
My hopes are to continue doing research and tapping into workplaces where Latinx people experience health disparities, whether in the U.S or internationally.
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